History of Fiji
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2008-07-04T13:36:53Z
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Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/122.106.179.247|122.106.179.247]] ([[User talk:122.106.179.247|talk]]) to last version by Darwinek
{{History of Fiji}}
The timeline below shows a thumbnail sketch of [[Fiji]]an history, from ancient times to the present day. For a more detailed analysis, follow the links under each heading to the related articles.
== Prehistory to 1820 ==
* {{Main|History of Fiji:Discovery}}
{| table width="75%" border="1" align="center" cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 style="margin:5px; border:3px solid;"
|td width="15%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Date'''||td width="85%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Event'''
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|[[1500 BC]]||Fiji settled by [[Polynesia]]n seafarers.
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|[[900 BC|900]]-[[600 BC]]||[[Moturiki Island]] settled.
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|[[500 BC]]||[[Melanesia]]n seafarers reach Fiji and intermarry with the Polynesian inhabitants, giving rise to the modern [[Fijian people]].
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|[[1643|1643 AD]]||[[Abel Tasman]] sights [[Vanua Levu]] Island and northern [[Taveuni]].
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|[[1700]]||[[Maile Latamai Finau]] builds [[Tavuni Hill Fort]] in Sigatoka Nadroga after being banished from Tonga.
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|[[1774]]||[[James Cook]] visits [[Vatoa]] in the southern [[Lau Islands|Lau archipelago]].
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|[[1789]]||[[William Bligh]], the scuttled captain of the [[HMS Bounty]], passes the [[Yasawa Islands, Fiji|Yasawas]] and sails between [[Viti Levu]] and Vanua Levu en route to [[Jakarta|Batavia]].
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|[[1804]]||[[Sandalwood]] discovered on Vanua Levu.
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|[[1808]]||[[Sweden|Swedish]] [[mercenary]] [[Charlie Savage (mercenary)|Charlie Savage]] arrives on [[Bau Island, Fiji|Bau Island]] and supplies weapons to [[Ratu]] [[Tanoa]], ''[[Vunivalu of Bau]].''
|-
|[[1820]]||[[Beche-de-mer]] (sea cucumber) trade begins.
|}
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== 1820 to 1874 ==
{{Main|History of Fiji:The rise and fall of Cakobau}}
{| table width="80%" border="1" align="center" cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 style="margin:5px; border:3px solid;"
|td width="15%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Date'''||td width="85%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Event'''
|-
|[[1822]]||European settlement begins at [[Levuka]], Fiji's first modern town.
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|[[1830]]||The first [[Christianity|Christian]] [[missionary|missionaries]] from [[Tahiti]] arrive in southern Lau.
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|[[1835]]||[[Methodism|Methodist]] missionaries arrive in [[Lakeba]].
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|[[1840]]||First visit from an [[United States|American]] exploring expedition commanded by [[Captain (naval)|Captain]] [[Charles Wilkes]].
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|[[1847]]||[[Prince]] [[Enele Ma'afu]] of [[Tonga]] invades Lau, establishing himself in Lakeba by [[1848]].
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|[[1849]]||Trading store of United States [[Consul]] and settler, [[John Brown Williams]], accidentally destroyed by stray cannon fire and subsequently looted by Fijian natives.
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|[[1851]]||First threatening visit from the [[United States Navy]], demanding US$5000 for Williams's losses.
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|[[1853]]||Warlord Ratu [[Seru Epenisa Cakobau]] installed as Vunivalu (Paramount Chief) of Bau, and claims the title of ''[[Tui Viti]]'' (King of Fiji).
|-
|[[1854]]||Cakobau converts to Christianity.
|-
|[[1855]]||Cakobau crushes [[Rewa Province, Fiji|Rewa]] revolt.<br>
John Brown Williams's home destroyed by arson. Visit from warship ''[[USS John Adams (1799)|USS John Adams]],'' demanding almost $44,000 compensation; seizes some islands as mortgage.
|-
|[[1858]]||Arrival of the first [[United Kingdom|British]] Consul. <br> Hostile visit from [[USS Vandalia (1828)|USS ''Vandalia'']]. <br> Cakobau offers to ceded the islands to the United Kingdom for US$40,000.
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|[[1862]]||The United Kingdom refuses to annex Fiji, claiming to have ascertained from Cakobau's fellow-chiefs that he was not universally accepted as King of Fiji and that he did not have the authority to cede the islands.
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[[1865]]||Confederacy of Fijian chiefs formed.
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|[[1867]]||Threats to shell Levuka from an American warship. <br> Amid increasing unrest, Cakobau crowned ''King of Bau'' by European settlers.
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|[[1868]]||The [[Australia]]n-based [[Polynesia Company]] acquires land near [[Suva]], in return for promising to pay Cakobau's debts.
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|[[1871]]||Establishment of the Kingdom of Fiji as a [[constitutional monarchy]], with Cakobau as King but with real power in the hands of a Cabinet and Legislature dominated by settlers from Australia.
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|[[1872]]||Lavish overspending saddles the new kingdom with debt. [[John Bates Thurston]], a government official, approaches the United Kingdom on Cakobau's behalf with an offer to cede the islands.
|-
|[[1874]]||[[10 October]] - Fiji becomes a [[British Empire|British colony]].
|}
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== 1874 to 1970 ==
{{main|Colonial Fiji}}
{| table width="80%" border="1" align="center" cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 style="margin:5px; border:3px solid;"
|td width="15%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Date'''||td width="85%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Event'''
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|[[1875]]||An outbreak of [[measles]] leaves a third of the Fijian population dead.
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|[[1876]]||[[Great Council of Chiefs (Fiji)|Great Council of Chiefs]] established.
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|[[1879]]||[[14 May]] - arrival of 463 indentured labourers from [[India]] - the first of some 61,000 to come over the ensuing 37 years.
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|[[1881]]||First large [[sugar]] mill built at [[Nausori]]. <br> [[Rotuma|Rotuma Island]] annexed to Fiji.
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|[[1882]]||Capital moved from Levuka to Suva.
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|[[1904]]||[[Legislative Council (Fiji)|Legislative Council]] reconstituted as a partially elected body, with European male settlers enfranchised and Fijian chiefs given an indirect input. Most seats still filled by nomination rather than election.
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|[[1916]]||End of the importing of indentured labourers from India. <br> First Indian appointed to Legislative Council.
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|[[1917]]||Count [[Felix von Luckner]] arrested on [[Wakaya Island]].
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|[[1918]]||14% of the population killed by the [[Spanish flu]] pandemic (within sixteen days).[http://www.nap.edu/books/0309095042/html/61.html]
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|[[1928]]||First flight from [[Hawaii]] lands at Suva.
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|[[1929]]||Wealthy Indians enfranchised for the first time; Indian representation in the Legislative Council made elective.
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|[[1939]]||[[Nadi]] Airport built as an Allied air base.
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|[[1940]]||[[Native Land Trust Board]] established under the chairmanship of [[Lala Sukuna|Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna]].
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|[[1951]]||Founding of Fiji Airways (now [[Air Pacific]]).
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|[[1953]]||Visit of [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]]. <br> Legislative Council expanded - but elective seats still a minority.
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|[[1954]]||Ratu Sukuna appointed first [[Speaker (politics)|Speaker]] of the Legislative Council.
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|[[1963]]||Indigenous Fijians enfranchised. <br> Indigenous representation in the Legislative Council made elective, except for 2 members chosen by the Great Council of Chiefs. <br> Women enfranchised.
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|[[1964]]||[[Member System (Fiji)|Member System]] introduced, with Legislative Council members appointed to oversee government departments. This was the first step towards the establishment of a [[Cabinet (politics)|Cabinet]] system.
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|[[1965]]||Constitutional conference in [[London]] fails to agree on a timetable for a transition to internal self-government, but subsequent negotiations lead to compromises.
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|[[1967]]||[[Responsible government]] instituted; [[Kamisese Mara|Ratu Kamisese Mara]] appointed first [[Chief Minister (Fiji)|Chief Minister]].
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|[[1968]]||[[University of the South Pacific]] established.
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|[[1970]]||April - Constitutional conference in London; Mara and [[Sidiq Koya]] agree on a compromise constitutional formula. <br> [[10 October]] - Fiji attains independence, ending 96 years of British rule.
|}
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== 1970 to present ==
{{Main|History of Fiji:The modern nation}}
{| table width="80%" border="1" align="center" cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 style="margin:5px; border:3px solid;"
|td width="15%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Date'''||td width="85%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Event'''
|-
|[[1972]]||First [[Fiji election of 1972|post-independence election]] won by Ratu Mara's [[Fijian Alliance|Alliance Party]].
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|[[1973]]||Sugar industry nationalized.
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|[[1977]]||[[Fiji Constitutional Crisis of 1977|Constitutional crisis]] in which [[List of Governors-General of Fiji|Governor-General]] [[George Cakobau|Ratu Sir George Cakobau]] overturns [[Fiji election of 1977 (March)|election results]], following the failure of the winning [[National Federation Party (Fiji)|National Federation Party]] to put together a government. <br> The [[Fiji election of 1977 (September)|election]] held to resolve the impasse results in a landslide for the Alliance Party.
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|[[1978]]||Fijian peacekeeping troops sent to [[Lebanon]].
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|[[1981]]||Fijian peacekeeping troops sent to the [[Sinai Peninsula|Sinai]] following [[Israel]]'s withdrawal.
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|[[1987]]||[[Fiji election of 1987|General election]] won by the [[Fiji Labour Party|Labour]]-National Federation Party coalition. On [[13 April]], [[Timoci Bavadra]] becomes [[List of Prime Ministers of Fiji|Prime Minister]] for a month. <br> [[14 May]] - [[Lieutenant Colonel]] [[Sitiveni Rabuka]] carries out a [[Fiji coups of 1987|coup d'état]]. <br> [[25 September]] - Rabuka stages a second coup to consolidate the gains of the first. <br> [[7 October]] - Rabuka proclaims a [[republic]], severing the 113-year link to the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|British Monarchy]]. <br> Fiji expelled from the [[Commonwealth of Nations]]. <br> [[5 December]] - Rabuka appoints [[Penaia Ganilau|Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau]] as Fiji's first [[List of Presidents of Fiji|President]].
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|[[1990]]||New Constitution instutionalises ethnic Fijian domination of the political system. [[Group Against Racial Discrimination (Fiji)|Group Against Racial Discrimination]] (GARD) formed to oppose the unilaterally imposed constitution and restore the 1970 constitution.
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|[[1992]]||Rabuka becomes Prime Minister following [[Fiji electionof 1992|elections]] held under the new constitution.
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|[[1994]]||[[Fiji election of 1994|Election results]] force Rabuka to open negotiations with the [[Indo-Fijian]]-dominated opposition.
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|[[1995]]||Rabuka establishes the [[Constitutional Review Commission (Fiji)|Constitutional Review Commission]].
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|[[1997]]||Constitutional conference leads to a new [[Constitution of Fiji|Constitution]], supported by most leaders of the indigenous Fijian and Indo-Fijian communities. Fiji is re-admitted to the Commonwealth of Nations.
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|[[1999]]||First [[Fiji election of 1999|general election]] held under the 1997 Constitution won by Fiji Labour Party(FLP). [[Mahendra Chaudhry]] becomes first Prime Minister of Indian descent.
|-
|[[2000]]||[[May 19]] - [[Fiji coup of 2000|civilian coup d'état]] instigated by [[George Speight]] effectively topples the Chaudhry government. <br> [[29 May]] - [[Commodore (rank)|Commodore]] [[Frank Bainimarama]] assumes executive power after the resignation, possibly forced, of President Mara. <br> [[2 November]] - [[Fiji coup of 2000:Mutinies|Mutiny]] at Suva's [[Queen Elizabeth Barracks (Fiji)|Queen Elizabeth Barracks]]. <br> [[15 November]] - [[High Court (Fiji)|High Court]] orders the reinstatement of the constitution.
|-
|[[2001]]||[[March 1]] - [[Court of Appeals (Fiji)|Court of Appeals]] upholds High Court order reinstating constitution.<br> September - [[Fiji election of 2001|General election]] held to restore democracy; a plurality won by interim Prime Minister [[Laisenia Qarase]]'s [[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua]] (SDL).
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|[[2005]]||May - Amid much controversy, the Qarase government proposes [[Reconciliation and Unity Commission]], with power to recommend compensation for victims of the 2000 coup, and amnesty for its perpetrators.
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|[[2006]]||[[May 6]]-[[May 13|13]] - SDL narrowly beats the FLP in [[Fiji election of 2006|parliamentary elections]]; multi-party [[Cabinet (Fiji)|Cabinet]] formed subsequently.<br> [[5 December]] 2006 - Commodore Bainimarama executes a [[2006 Fijian coup d'état|coup]] against the government of Laisenia Qarase and declares himself Acting President of Fiji.
|-
|[[2007]]||[[January 4]]-[[January 5|5]] - Bainimarama restores Iloilo to the Presidency; Iloilo endorses Bainimarama's coup and formally appoints him Prime Minister the next day.
|}
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== See also ==
* [[History of Fiji:Discovery]]
* [[History of Fiji:The rise and fall of Cakobau]]
* [[History of Fiji:Colonial Fiji]]
* [[History of Fiji:The modern nation]]
== External links ==
* [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/1834.htm U.S. State Department Background Note: Fiji]
* [http://fijibure.com/fijinotes.htm The history of Fiji - as believed by the Fijians]
* [http://www.fijibure.com/fijinotes.htm#note The early history of Fiji bank notes and coin]
* [http://www.frommers.com/destinations/fiji/0208020044.html Frommer's Destinations]
{{History of Oceania}}
[[Category:History of Fiji| ]]
[[Category:National histories|Fiji]]
[[es:Historia de Fiyi]]
[[fr:Histoire de Fidji]]
[[no:Fijis historie]]
[[pt:História das Fiji]]